#wanna make a new one

[aew-regression-cove]

watching the fly (again) with my mum an I plan to watch independence day for first time after 🤞🏻 (think m gonna be watchin that on my own tho- depends if she wants to watch with me or not)

[neesieiumz]

Fighting the urge to republish it… feel like it’ll get the same treatment as this one…

untamed temptation ⸻ “barbarians, they’re ruthless… in more ways than one. ⸻ t. fushiguro

synopsis ⭄ stuck in an arranged marriage, toji, leader of the wildlands, gives you a taste of something you've yet to experience.

warnings ⭄ 18+. smut. minors do not interact. royal!au. queen-consort!reader. barbarian!toji. black-coded!reader. female reader. afab anatomy. infidelity. your husband has a brothel underneath the castle. your husband is also a bit too trusting of the barbarians. possible second part.

writers notes ⭄ toji debut... whoop! barbarian!toji has been on my mind for a bit so I'm glad I finally got this out, even though I was fighting to edit it... also, I'm looking for beta-readers, so if your interested, send me a message or an ask!

word count ⭄ 4.1k

An arranged marriage, one conducted by your father, to the now king of a small country. A man led by greed and desire for any and everything. To the point that when you were crowned, you were made Queen Consort, a Queen with no power. You were from a far and foreign land, your father, a noble with no power. He would rather have his daughter married to a horrid man, to have some semblance of power within another land. From the moment you met your husband, you knew you were in for a loveless marriage. The two of you found some middle ground, with you ignoring everything he does, and him leaving you to your own devices. It was quiet, finding a few people within the huge castle and surrounding yourself with them.

However, things can not be smooth sailing for you and your people. A war soon approached your borderlines, ravaging the western lands of the kingdom. Your husband, as the leader, left the castle to lead his men into pushing the larger forces back. He was gone for two years, with letters coming from his aides addressing the situation and how things were going. Things were not looking up, until a final letter from his aide, describing an unlikely ally to help them through everything, and how they will be joining them on the return home. It was only for a short period, as the major battles were won, but the war was still going on. It was to thank them for all their help and to help build an official alliance. However, the people who helped to turn this battle were literally, an unlikely source.

Silence rang through the large dining hall, nothing but the sounds of food scraping against the plates, knives, and forks clashing against each other. Within the low-light room, every seat of the elongated table was filled. Food had just been served, with the head of the table, your husband, king of this land taking the first bite before enjoying the rest. As you ate, you glanced at your guest, the unruly bunch, ones you had long heard tales about. 

The barbarians of the Wildlands, an area ruled by chaos.

Your husband had always had a strange obsession with the barbarians, their way of life, everything. So to see them come to the castle, your own home after him being away from war for two years should be surprising but it was not. The few times you have come into his office, you would see posters of barbarians wrapped around his walls, and books piled up about their history. He had always wanted to learn more about them, and now that they are here, he��s giddy like a school child, hoping to impress them in any way he can. 

A few minutes into dinner, your husband soon began speaking with who seemed to be their leader, who you heard others both rave and rant about. According to one of the aides who went with your husband, the war was looking bad for your kingdom. He needed a new ally, and the barbarians were the ones who stepped up. The aides' exact words, “if it was not for the leadership of Toji Fushiguro, his highness would be coming home in a body bag.” He was said to be “chaos in a heavy coat.”

He had once worn a heavy fur coat, evident of his cold becoming, which he had tossed to one of the maids which had nearly knocked her over from the sheer weight. Despite the already heavy coat he once wore, he also wore heavy clothes, adorned with a heavy chest plate with leather straps which he refused to take off when you had asked. 

You stayed silent throughout the dinner, watching as the rest of the guests began picking up their own conversations, your husband joyously chiming in. Your eyes continued to roam around until they landed right on cold black eyes. The larger man smirked as his eyes roamed down, landing on your cleavage being pushed out from your off-shoulder dress. You flinched, sniffing a bit as you adjusted your dress, looking away. You heard a deep chuckle, despite the loudness increasing, and you knew, deep down, as it reverberated through you, it was from him. 

You continued to eat your food, ignoring your husband's conversation that twisted into talk about his private chambers down below. 

---

Toji had enough of this loud mouth. The boisterous king was leading him and his men down somewhere, with the guards behind them carrying crates of beer. The rest of his men ignorantly followed, blinded by the heavy meat and alcohol of the earlier dinner. He soon led them to two doors, closed in on each other. The two guards overseeing the door bowed at the moronic king, before slowly cracking the doors open. The sounds of rushing water soon hit his ears, glancing up at the low glow light as the sounds of spirited laughter, women’s laughter, permeated through the air. Toji could feel his men getting more and more excited as the realization of the noises fell on his face. 

Toji hummed, the witless king had a private brothel underneath his own wife’s feet.

The king took in the faces of Toji’s men, enjoying the joy upon his face. Toji glanced at his own men, who were vibrating in their clothes, itching to go out and enjoy themselves within the brothel. He glanced at them before nodding his head giving them their blessing, and the moment the guards had set the crates down, before prying them open. They helped themselves to a bottle before spreading themselves around the room, enjoying the company of the women draped across the couch. Toji glanced around, reaching down to grab his own bottle of alcohol. Every time his eyes landed on a woman, nothing within sparked, eyes dulled as he took the closest seat to him, which just happened to be an empty couch. 

As he gazed, his mind flew back in time, to when his eyes first landed on you. The all-black dress perfectly fits your form, the long train of lace attached to the back of the dress, is evidence of a true queen reigning amongst men. Glossy plump lips, Toji smirked at it being curled in the fakest smile he has ever seen. He took another swig of his beer, your figure walking away flashing into his mind. A menacing smile formed on his face, a pure destination and goal in mind. As he rose up from his seat, grabbing another beer, a hand fell upon his shoulder. Heart striking, he turned around, pushing the hand off his schedule. He made contact with the very king, who had two women draped around, caressing him slowly. 

“Fushiguro! You haven’t gotten a lady for you to enjoy yet?”

He grumbled, irritation flashing on his face, before looking up at him, “these kinds of things aren’t my thing, I’ll let my men enjoy themselves.”

He didn’t let the king get in another word before walking out. Behind him, he could hear a guard asking if he wished for him to follow Toji. The moment he heard the king say no, he smirked, before walking right out. He ignored the dirty looks the guards gave him, their order to leave him alone obviously. He walked down the porcelain halls, wooden walls covered in the pompous paintings of the idiotic king, along with his ancestors. As heavy boots stumped across the halls, heading up the multiple flights of stairs, continuing on until he reached the very top floor. He glanced over to his right, before spotting a door creaking open, a light illuminating the small crack. 

Something within him tugged at him, as he slowly turned walking towards the light. Closer he got, the more subtle noises he could hear, humming in a sweet tune. Before Toji knew it, he was standing right in front of the door, leaning down and peeping through the crack. 

There you stood, in front of the fancy vanity table. His eyes wandered down, eyes locked in the silk night dress you were, clinging onto your form. Draped across your shoulders was a matching robe, trimmed with lace at the hems. You were cleaning your face, wiping away the makeup you had worn during the dinner. He stands up straight before glancing around, noticing how there were absolutely no guards around. He wondered if this was their queen, correct? As he thought back to the dinner, and even the few moments as he and his people arrived at the huge castle. A queen ignored by her people, this wasn't the first time he’s seen that. 

He stood up straight, seeing you begin to turn around, probably to your bed. With his free hand, he held it up before giving the door three heavy knocks, taking a step back as you suddenly turned around. You walked up, before opening the door fully, eyes widening as soon as they landed on his tall form. Standing up straight, your face steeling over, you clasped your hand together before speaking. 

“Lord Fushiguro,” you began, voice trembling slightly, “what brings you here?”

He smirks, taking another swig of his drink, “I don’t know… something just led me down here. A question, yes a question.”

“I have a question for you, Your Majesty,” he mocked, tipping his bottle towards you. 

You blinked, shuffling on your feet, “... if I answer this question, will you leave?”

He smirked, “we shall see about that, your majesty.”

You inhaled sharply, shaking your head a bit before looking back at him, “fine, fine, I’ll answer it anyways. What is your question, Lord Fushiguro?”

His eyebrow quivered at the title, but he said nothing about it, “what are your thoughts about what’s below you?”

Both your eyebrows quirked up, “below me?”

“Yeah, the brothel your dearly beloved husband has set up. Where all my men are currently enjoying themselves.”

You blinked, rolling your eyes slightly, “what he does on his own time has nothing to do with me.”

“Is that so…?”

“If that’s all…” you said, beginning to press your hands against the wooden door.

You hummed, taking a step back, however, you could do anything, he suddenly barged into your room, ignoring your short screech, and invading your space. Now that he was inside, he got a better look into your personal quarters. The floors were wooden, although they were covered in intricately designed carpets. The room was huge, bigger than the hovel he had back in the Wildlands. In the middle of the room sat a small table, with two chairs around it, with a tea set sitting right in the middle. He smirked, before eyeing the elongated ottoman bench resting right at the end of your bed. He sat right onto it and relaxed against the foot of your bed.

Anger flashed on your face, stomping towards him, “what do you think you're doing?! Leave before I call the guards!”

He raised an eyebrow, “the same guards that aren’t guarding your door? Yet happen to eb on every other hallway in thai entire castle?”

You pressed your lips shut, your steps stumbling. It was true, the guards were never at your door at night, despite being the queen of their very small nation. 

“Still, leave now, I need to sleep. I have things to do tomorrow.”

He hummed as if he didn't hear what you’d said, taking another glance around your room before looking towards the ground. He then looked back up at you, seeing you still standing there, arms crossed, countenance showing irritation. He licked his lips, his legs shifting before easing them open, his heavy pants creasing against his obvious erection. Your eyes fell down his form, before falling right on his pants, eyes widened at the obvious bulge. You shifted in your steps, before looking right back up into his eyes, hands fidgeting, gripping the silk gown. 

“Aww, why the look, your majesty, see something you like?”

You took a deep breath, before letting out a shakier, closing your eyes, “I really think it’s time for you lea—”

He suddenly reached, grabbing your dress before pulling you close to him. You held your arms out, as a means to keep him away but it was no use. His brute strength was no match to your own, as his hand rested right on your bottom, keeping a snug grip right on. 

“Lord Fushiguro, what are you do—”

Gasping as you felt his hand take your own, before placing right on top of his hard-on. His hand guided you, hearing his deep groans resound in your ear. A lowly ache began pulsing through you, a feeling you had not felt in a very long time. His hand resting on your ass had begun to rub circles through the silk. 

“This is… this is not right, please—” you mumbled, feeling yourself begin to drip down your thighs. 

“So your husband can build a house of ill repute or whatever it is you call it here right beneath your feet, but you, a queen ignored by her people, cannot have a night to yourself?”

You said nothing about that, but within you, he was right. You gazed into his dark eyes, before tentatively placing your hands right on his shoulders. The man smirked, before taking you in, placing you right on his lap. His head hovered right beside your ears.

“Let go for me, my queen, and I’ll show you something your husband can never show you.”

Your breath became heavy as your hips began slowly grinding against him, seeking some sore of friction for the building ache within you. Toji pressed his lips against your ear, before slowly trailing them down to your neck, his heavy breath causing shivers to roll down your spine. Your sudden convulsion and you racing out, gripping at his rough shirt as he shifted you around. He forced your legs around, causing your dress to rise suddenly pressing your now exposed pussy against his pants. He moved his hand from them, placing it under your chin, slightly squishing your cheeks as he pulled your face closer. With vigor, he pressed his lips against yours, rough and heavy. You gasped into the kiss, your hips grinding harder against him. Your every movement electrified you, your moans being swallowed into his strong kiss. He tasted of alcohol, you savored his taste, taking in anything you could. 

“Lord Fushi— oh my god,” you let out the moment he released your lips. 

“Call me Toji.”

With no other words, he soon let go of your face, his hand joining his other, scooping you around your bottom. Squealing, your legs wrapped around his waist as he stood straight up, before turning around. He climbed right on your bed, with you still attached to him. He smiled as he towered over you, your arms spread out along with your braids across the bed. He soon reached over, using his two fingers, pinching out the already low-dimmed flame before grabbing the hanging curtains that were tied up around your bed. He basically ripped off the ribbon, allowing the fabric to fall around all sides of the bed, cutting you off from the rest of your room. You could still see his form moving in the dark, seeing him slowly remove his very heavy clothing. The sound of his breastplate hitting your wooden floors. 

The movement he finished, wearing nothing but undergarments, he grabbed at your own dress, ignoring your squeaks before basically ripping it off your body. You wore nothing under it, revealing your naked body. His larger hand cupped your breast, leaning down to press even more kisses along your neck and chest. Your hands trembled, hesitantly placing them on his shoulders. His lips stretched into a smile as he felt your hands, your nails slightly digging into his skin. His tongue licked and lapped at your soft, clean skin. As he did so, his fingers pinched around your nipple, twisting and tugging at it. The sudden twinge of pain had you curling up against him, feeling his body against yours. You squirmed under him, his movements soon moving to your breasts. His hands cupped both of them, before going in, pressing kisses all over them before wrapping his lips around your left nipple. 

You had no words, only moans could spill out of your mouth as you succumbed to whatever he was giving you. Toji groaned against your chest, the vibrations convulsing through you. Toji glanced up seeing your face overtaken with arousal, drool dripping down your face. An easy contrast to the stoic cold countenance of earlier at dinner. He soon let go, cold air hitting your breasts, causing you to shiver before moving to the next nipple, sucking away at it. When he finished, he rose up, his hands leaving your chest before reaching down, grabbing your legs, and stretching them back. The wet sounds of your pussy resounded throughout the room, causing embarrassment to flash through you.

“Look at you, all wet, my queen, and I haven’t even touched you down there yet.”

You could only let out a whimper, letting out a short gasp as he held both your ankles in one hand. He placed one hand against your cunt, pressing against your labia, fingertips steadily getting wet. Toji then pressed up against you, feeling steady resistance. You jerk, hissing as he slowly pressed a finger into you, sharp twinges of pain running their course through your body. He expects this, seeing how your husband behaves with his very own eyes. 

“Ahh wait wait wait it hurts, it hurts,” you cried out, pushing up against him. 

He shushed you, continuing to press his finger into your tightness. You let out moans of pain as he slowly moved his digit in and out of you. Your once heated grip on his shoulders now dug into them, leaving heavy marks deep within his skin. Your pained gasps soon turned more breathy, as your hips ground against his fingers. 

“Feeling better, your majesty?” His voice took on a patronizing tone, humming as he pressed his thumb against your clit, using your wetness to rub circles into it. 

“It’s been a long time since you took anything, huh? Pathetic king never does anything for you?”

You couldn't answer him yet your hips answered for him as they bucked and jerked. He reportedly planned his fingers into you, his pace picking up more and more as your arousal began to coat his fingers. Soon, he slowed down, before slowly pulling his fingers out of your cunt. He reached, licking your slick off of his fingers, revealing the taste. Sweat dripped down your face, neck, and body as he readied himself. He was still holding your legs together, and before you knew it, you could feel the tip of his length pressing against you. Gasping, the size felt much larger than when you first touched him. 

He began to slowly press himself into you, squirming as he did so. 

“Fuck,” you gasped, cursing as he sunk into you further. 

“Ohh, such a nasty mouth on you, what would your subjects say,” he said, suddenly slamming into you. 

You screamed, your high-pitched tone causing you to slam your hand over your mouth. Toji rocked into you, with no regard for you. Your muffled moans spill you of your hands, the bed jerking with every movement he makes. His hands left your ankles, allowing you to rest them against his shoulders as his hands wrapped themselves around your waist. Toji was able to pull you closer, before reaching up quickly and smacking your hands away from your lips, which were wet with spit.

“Fuck, don’t cover up your mouth, let the whole fucking world hear how well you’re being fucked.”

“Oh my god, you’re going too fast, Toji—”

Your noises echoed through the room, wet skin slapping against wet skin matching the rhythm. Toji rocked into you, with no regard for how you were feeling. He repeatedly plunged into you, and a feral grin stretched across his face. His short dark hair lowered against his face as he suddenly leaned into you, pressing into you deeper and deeper. Getting closer to your face, he suddenly swallowed your moans in another deep kiss. Exchanging spit, your tongues swirling together as you removed your nails from his shoulders, wrapping them fully around his back, holding him close. As you let go of each other, a sliver of spit connects your wet lips. 

Suddenly, he rose up, pulling out of you as he grabbed at you. Toji placed his hands back on your hips before moving. Squealing as he suddenly turned you around, his heavy hands pressing up against your back. Chest pressed against the bed, hands lifting up your hips before plunging right back inside you. Screaming as he did, feeling him hit points within you that he hadn’t before. Trembling as his pace picked up as if he hadn’t stopped at all. Your braids, which had spilled from your silk scarf, whipped around from his sudden and rugged movements. In the spur of the moment, letting out a yelp in pain as you felt a hot sharp pain in your scalp before feeling the upper half of your body being pulled back. 

Gasping as you felt Toji close to you, hearing his grunts closer and much clearer in your ear. His hand left your hips before suddenly coming down right on your ass, leaving a heavy smack, leaving a burning sting against your deep skin. You shriek, your body surging up against his hefty movements.

“Making such a fucking mess,” he groaned, looking at the clear juices sopping from your pussy, making a mess all over him.

“God, imagine if your husband, the fucking dunce, catches us, I wonder what he would say, hmm?”

“What would he say if his pretty wife was getting fucked within an inch of her life, right here on her bed.”

You couldn't help but clench around him as he said those words. A sudden rush built up with you, clenching around his dick tighter and tighter. 

“Oh fuck, oh fuck fuck, something’s coming fuck—!”

Your words activated something within him, as his pace sped up expeditiously, his torso slamming into you as he did. You could do nothing but take it, curses and moans continuing to spill out of your mouth. The heated feeling continuously builds up within you, your body clenching around him. 

“Sucking in me like that,” he groaned, his thrust becoming repeatedly unsteady. 

“Oh my,” with no sudden warnings, you spasmed, moans turning into screams as clear liquid suddenly squirted out of you, dripping all down your thighs and also on his body. 

Your sudden actions caused Toji to grunt, before slamming into you a few final times, before letting out a deep sigh, spilling his seed deep within you. You let out a loud sigh, slumping into the bed, legs quivering like jelly. Your mind buzzed, white noise going through your head, barely even hearing your breath as you closed your eyes. The bed was heavy with sweat, however, you barely felt it as your mind slipped into a deep heavy sleep. 

Toji eased out of you slowly, taking a few steps to get out of bed. He gazed at your figure, slowly heaving in and out in a deep sleep. Smirking, he grabbed your blanket before tossing it over your body and turning around. Without any other words, he picked up his clothes, tossing them on his body before picking up his slightly spilled bottle and heading out the door. 

---

You were suddenly shaken away, mouth dry as you glanced around, before locking your weary eyes on a maid. Maryam, the one who always woke you up when you didn’t wake up on your own. Her eyes shined with concern as you slowly sat up, pulling your blanket to your chest.

“Your majesty, are you alright? You haven't woken up, and it is nearly noontime.”

You blinked, waking up once you heard her say that. It had been a while since you slept till that late since you first arrived here when you got married. You glanced around, seeing the sun seeping into the curtains. As you looked, sudden flashes ran through your mind, of a tall buff barbarian ravaging you all throughout the night. You took a deep breath, no no that must have been a dream, you couldn't have possibly…

Maryam sniffed, taking a step back, “your majesty… why does it smell like the beer his highness brought for those brutes?”

Your heart dropped. 

taglist: @almoundtofu @das170 @sunflwrsugar @nak4m8to @tojisfavs-bitch @sugurunicorn @miraes-world @dabismissingcumsock @bonsnclareswhore @drakentopia @dionne-dior @myoodan @lalisaology @pinkwhiskers @hxneyitachi @bakugosbabymama13 @tamak00 @cxpids-wxrld @lipikare @pookiepie2 @dane-hampshire @smoooootie @tocji @chaoswhereveryastep @protectpancakes @starnovacreates @mysticprincessdonut @203steph

[mintypsii]

i can't believe one piece invented gay people

[bookalicent]

yeah so this was insane

[bacchuschucklefuck]

they licensed his ass

my finished piece of the FWMS (official name definitely 100%) thing we started a few days ago! I had fun I hope folks had and/or continue to have fun with the sketch as well.

[lady-raziel]

because there is nothing to lose the people saying biden should resign now so kamala can still be the first female president are absolutely right but why stop there? inauguration day is 70 days away let's make "president for a day" a real thing. say "fuck it we ARE going to do the arbitrary quota DEI bullshit you accuse us of" and speedrun first [category] presidents. revolving door type thing.

first female president. first openly gay president. first transgender president. first president who has been to space. first president gamer president. first mime president. just play president bingo and hit as many categories as possible while we still can. make all of trump's #47 merch unusable by forcing him to be the 115th president instead. who cares anymore let's peacefully transition power but do it in the most chaotic hot-potato way possible

[vault81]

I've finished my Fallout OC Character Sheet! this is my first time making something like this, but I like how it turned out!

PSD below cut!

Compressed Version!

[starcunin]

ORDER STICKERS HERE: https://nixzee.etsy.com

[grapejuicegay]

I'm always gonna fight to come home to my family

[xxplastic-cubexx]

anyone else get cuteness aggression whenever they see james mcavoys charles….. like i have to pace around the room everytime i see him (your art is not helping. /pos)

i can think of one (1) mate who also gets cuteness aggression

[elizabeths-storytime]

Hey Have you also been thinking about Tiger, Tiger by @pepurika non-stop? Great! I've made a playlist because that is what happens when characters live rent free in my brain

[heartorbit]

i just wanted to draw the ave mujica outfits .

[shinotail]

totally haven't been hyperfixed on this game for the past two weeks ahaha

+ some sif portrait redraws under the cut

[skunkes]

[vwoop-prince]

YJ S3 Dick, still in the midst of his fever dream, hides underneath the 'souvenir' instead of behind some boxes, and accidentally opens the airlock trying to take care of the Parademons. The others get it to close... but not before Nightwing is thrown into space.

There, he stares at the ship holding his friends and mentors. There, he wishes more than anything that he can, somehow, survive. There, he tries to live, if only so his family don't have to bury him like Jason.

There, Nightwing dies, wanting to save everyone, even with the cold seeping into his bones far too quickly for a regular section of space.

Then, Dick opens his eyes to... Earth? There's a little house, and grass, and trees, but there's a bubble of green over it all. Outside of that green was an entire castle, one that looked like it should have far more support beams than it does for even a hope that it stays standing.

And the sky was swirling shades of that same green. It makes him think of Lazarus.

"Well, that's something you don't see every day." He whips his head behind him, a bit too fast for Earth's atmosphere, but it doesn't hurt him. Past the bubble of green was a blue-skinned adult in purple robes, the insides of a grandfather-clock fitted inside their torso, and a black staff with a stopwatch on its top. Beside them was a man with snow white hair, glowing green eyes, a crown of frozen fire dancing above his head, and the most galaxy-like cloak Dick's ever seen clasped to his shoulders. He's wearing... a hazmat suit? Maybe? The twinkling stars and odd lighting of wherever he is were giving him a bit of a headache.

But in front of those two, within this bubble, was...

"DICK!" Wally shouted with unrestrained glee, a blur overtaking his spot for barely a heartbeat before Dick's stuck in a crushing hug that he reciprocates once his brain stops feeling like its melting.

He doesn't know how long it took for them to calm down, but the man with the crown spoke up after a time, as Wally was still wiping their faces free of tears. "Welcome to the Infinite Realms, Nightwing." Dick barely even registered that he was still wearing his suit, but now it felt suffocating. "I suppose you're the one Clockwork was holding out for; There shouldn't've been enough Ectoplasm around you to form a Ghost, and your physical body's still in space. I can see why you like this one, though, Clockie," he states flippantly, turning to his companion. Almost like he didn't expect Dick to pay too close attention to what he was saying.

"Either way, there's two options for you." The man didn't let Dick swallow his tears and question anything. Dick's not sure if he's grateful or not. "First: Stay in the Realms permanently. You'll see Kid Flash whenever you want and learn to be a Ghost with the denizens of the Realms. Maybe find your parents."

"But..." Dick pulls away from Wally, keeping him at arms length, eyes flitting between them. The two outside the bubble were distinctly... ghost-like, so the mentions of 'Ghosts' make sense. But Wally looked... alive. A bit pale, a bit thin... but alive. Dick can't see any of his own skin to see if it was blue or tinted that way, but the Nightwing symbol on his chest kept flickering between its own blue and this 'Realms' green. "But--What about the others? What about you? Why can't you come home?" The last two, he focuses on Wally, because now he can feel a heartbeat beneath his gloves. Wally's alive. He's alive.

His friend just shrugs. "Something about their portals not fit for the living? I'm meant to wait for someone to figure out a permanent portal, but they won't tell me how long that'll take." Wally glares at the... 'Ghosts'? There was a heat to it, but it also seemed like this was a well-worn argument.

"The permanent portal was always an 'if', Wallace West. And that is entirely dependent on if Richard Grayson takes the second option," the clock Ghost--Clockwork?--speaks up. But instead of the adult Dick was expecting, there was an elderly Ghost in their place. Still with the time motif. Was that... more literal than Dick took it?

"Yes, the second option..." The crowned man glares daggers at Clockwork. The temperature dips below comfortable. Dick tries to blink the spaceship and stars out of his sight, withdrawing his arms from Wally to try and warm himself. Tries to remember he's not in space. "The second option is that you return to your body... changed. You'll be able to protect Earth better, stay with your alive family, save the Lost Ones... for a price."

Dick doesn't know if he should ignore the plural in 'Lost Ones'. He doesn't know if he's reading too much into how, in this Realm, apparently only his parents were able to be found. Where's Jason? He doesn't dare hope, but...

"What's the price?"

The man smiles and a ring of blue forms around his waist. It splits in two and travels up and down his body, replacing the cloak and whatever clothes he was actually wearing with a NASA shirt, worn jeans, and red sneakers actually duct taped together. The blue tint to his otherwise tan skin fades completely. His hair turns black. His eyes turn blue.

He was like a taller, slightly slimmer, way hotter version of Bruce.

The man walks through the bubble, but doesn't disturb the grass beneath his feet. "You become the Ghost King's vassal." Dick flinches away and almost hides behind Wally. "Not my idea! But, well... it is either this, or your permanent death."

"What does becoming a vassal do to him?" Wally asks, gently trying to stop Dick from breaking his ribs with how tightly he was hugging himself. Does he even have ribs?

"He gains my powers. Ice, electricity, invisibility, intangibility, flight... He becomes a Halfa. He becomes what I was, in life. Just... needing to make offerings to me, now and then. Something like that, at least. I give him powers, he gives me a chunk of, I don't know, chocolate once a week. Like a warlock."

Wally keeps talking to the man, keeps getting information that he knows he should pay attention to, but something in his chest screams to accept this deal, and he can't focus on anything else.

Nightwing can protect. He can return to life and go back to Blüdhaven, be the Vigilante they need. He can visit Gotham every now and then, help with cases and stop criminals from harming others. He can see his brother. He can see his friends. He can eat Alfred's cookies, and have little get-togethers with Babs and the Team--hell, he can argue with Bruce.

And all he has to do is... give an offering to this guy? The Ghost King? Every once in a while?

"There's no other price?" The King turns his attention to Dick. His eyes had shifted to a blue-green that almost hypnotize him. The green swirls, the blue forms and melts like snowflakes, and he can't look away.

He takes another step forward and Wally steps to the side. There was familiarity between them. Wally deferred to him. Dick can't quite tell why. Though, with how Wally hasn't once looked at Clockwork, maybe it's because he's... grounded? Are all speedsters in trouble with, what, the Ghost of Time? That... actually makes perfect sense.

"I'll be honest, Nightwing: You've impressed me." The weight behind the King's words lifts the ones that've been on his shoulders since he was nine. "You remind me of myself. Maybe, if I wasn't a Halfa... If I had a mentor... I could've been like you.

"Despite Clockwork's insistence over the years that I get back in touch with the living, I've held off. When he eventually suggested that I help create another Halfa, I locked him in his tower for twenty years. I didn't want anyone to go through what I had. But, now... I see that you won't. You can't. Even if you hide this deal--our shared powers... You'll still have people by your side. Strong people. Smart people. You can already handle yourself. And I'd love to see what you can do--who you can save--with my help."

There was maybe two inches between their faces when the King finishes speaking. Dick roves his eyes across the other's face, trying to find the common and familiar ticks that show lies and deceit and manipulation. All he finds is sincerity and genuine care.

Wally plays with his fingers from the corner of his eye, gaze hopeful as he looks between the two of them. Wally, who was alive and breathing and able to leave if he accepts. Eventually. Somehow.

Dick Grayson sends a quiet apology to his parents and hopes they will forgive him for being a little bit selfish.

"I accept."

He flings his eyes open. Above him, domino mask too wobbly to be properly secured anymore, was Robin crying and begging him to wake up. His hands were sloppily placed over his heart. Batman was trying to drag him away, the firm set of his jaw screaming grief.

Nightwing gasps once he registers his lungs burning.

There's a large cacophony of noise, multiple bright suits and people hounding over him, and the distinct artificial taste of slightly-too-much oxygen that the ship with the Parademons had. That he flew out of and died. He was still too cold.

Someone moves their arm beneath his knees and shoulder and Dick passes out.

(Dick 'Nightwing' Grayson dies in space. Ghost King Danny Phantom likes this too-human Hero. They split their souls in half, take one piece of the others, and all they know is that Phantom is now Nightwing's Patron Deity. Danny uses ice, for electricity killed him. Dick uses electricity, for ice killed him. They are opposites, and yet so incredibly similar. Clockwork was looking forward to when Danny starts putting off his paperwork to hang out with his new 'friend'.)

[savefrog]

thank you to that tumblr post that said to create a trollsona in 2023 because a friendgroup of mine did all the quizzes and shit and then descended into goddamn madness and ended up with a goddamn sburb session spreadsheet with lands, classpects, consorts, strife specibi, THE WHOLE SHEBANG even wikipedia diving for Denizen names with THEMATIC MEANINGS and shit it was the most free and healing 24 hours of my life i think of it fondly on this day, apparently the anniversary of Cascade which I didn't learn until AFTER I dredged all this back up. mad world.